General details
EDIHs involved
Challenges
Strešniki Golob d.o.o. is a modern manufacturing company specializing in high-quality concrete roof tiles and components. It combines long-standing tradition with advanced technology, enabling efficient and flexible production. The company is strongly focused on digitalization and automation, already using automated machinery and handling systems to achieve high precision, repeatability, and reduced production errors.
With a firm commitment to Industry 4.0, the company is exploring digital twins and robotic systems to further optimize its processes. This technological orientation aims to increase efficiency, lower operational costs, and enhance competitiveness in the market.
As they prepare to implement a robotized production line, the company faces several challenges that demand a structured and strategic approach. A major hurdle is the technical integration of robotic systems with existing equipment, which was not initially designed for automation. Mechanical adaptations and electronic connectivity between systems are required, along with changes to workflow, workspace layout, and internal logistics to enable automation.
While the company has some experience with automation, the complexity of robotization revealed the need for specific know-how, digital tools, and advanced technical support not yet available in-house. In SRC-EDIH, they found a reliable partner for both strategic planning and hands-on implementation. Particularly valuable was the opportunity to test solutions in a simulation environment before committing to investment. This collaboration helps the company better understand the broader impact of robotization on operations, workforce, and costs, while shaping its path toward long-term digital transformation.
Solutions
To address the challenges in implementing a robotized production line, SRC-EDIH provided targeted technical and strategic support aligned with the company’s digital transformation objectives. The core of the solution was the development of a detailed simulation using Roboguide software, enabling the company to virtually model and test the integration of a robotic system within its existing production environment.
This simulation allowed experts from SRC-EDIH to analyze the robot’s interaction with current equipment, assess spatial constraints, and identify the most optimal positioning of the robot in the workflow. By digitally validating the process, potential bottlenecks, safety risks, and inefficiencies were identified early, reducing the likelihood of costly mistakes during physical implementation. Moreover, the simulation made it possible to explore necessary changes in related workflows, including adjustments in material handling, workstation layout, and logistics coordination, thus ensuring that the robot would be seamlessly integrated into the overall production system.
The solution addressed the company’s core needs: risk reduction before investment, better understanding of technological feasibility, and alignment with Industry 4.0 standards. The project not only supported technical decision-making but also strengthened internal competencies by involving the company’s team in the simulation and evaluation process.
The private investment was justified by the reduced risk of failure and improved ROI through precise planning. SRC-EDIH’s involvement, partially financed through public funds, enabled the company to access cutting-edge expertise and tools at a fraction of the cost, making the digital transformation both feasible and sustainable.
Results and Benefits
The project enabled the company to move from conceptual interest in robotization to a data-driven, validated implementation plan, backed by simulation and expert analysis. The Roboguide-based simulation and optimization of the robotic cell produced significant outcomes for the company, including:
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30% reduction in expected manual handling time for the targeted production process, as validated through simulation cycle-time analysis.
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50% reduction in estimated production downtime during the implementation phase, due to pre-validation of robotic integration and optimized layout planning.
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Identification of a 20% improvement in process efficiency, resulting from optimized robot positioning and restructured material flow within the production line.
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0% post-integration collision risk, achieved through early detection of mechanical and spatial conflicts within the simulated environment.
The project allowed the company to gain deep insight into digital integration possibilities, moving beyond theoretical understanding to practical application. Strešniki Golob d.o.o. reported increased internal confidence in managing future automation projects, and began building internal digital capacities, particularly in understanding robotic workflows, layout planning, and simulation-based design validation.
The collaboration with SRC-EDIH also strengthened cross-functional awareness within the company, encouraging closer collaboration between technical, operational, and management teams when evaluating digital investments. Furthermore, the use of Roboguide and simulation tools introduced the company to digital twin principles, which they now plan to extend to other production segments.
For SRC-EDIH, the project showcased the effective application of test-before-invest methodologies and strengthened its role as a strategic enabler of digital transformation in traditional manufacturing sectors. It also demonstrated the practical value of simulation tools in lowering adoption barriers for SMEs.
In conclusion, thanks to this project the company now possesses additional capabilities that have strengthened its long-term digital transformation strategy. Strešniki Golob d.o.o. can now:
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Evaluate robotic integration scenarios digitally before investing in physical systems.
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Quantify ROI and efficiency gains of automation projects with simulation data.
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Adapt production workflows to robotic technologies based on evidence rather than assumptions.
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Engage with technology suppliers with clear technical specifications, reducing uncertainty and increasing negotiation leverage.
The project was co-financed through a public/private funding structure, combining resources from SRC-EDIH and the company’s own investment in time, internal staff resource. Public investment via SRC-EDIH covered approximately 70% of the total project value, including expert time, access to simulation tools, and technical mentoring. Private investment from Strešniki Golob d.o.o. and Development Centre Novo mesto d.o.o., covered the remaining 30%, mostly in terms of internal labor, coordination, and partial funding of external technical support.
The expected return on investment (ROI) is significant. By pre-validating the robotic system through simulation, the company expects to reduce initial implementation costs by 15–20%, avoid potential redesigns or retrofits, and shorten the deployment timeline by several weeks. In financial terms, this represents savings of at least €20,000–€30,000 compared to a non-simulated implementation scenario.
Moreover, the reduced operational risk and improved productivity are expected to generate positive cash flow within the first 12–18 months after implementation, making the investment not only justifiable, but strategic for the company's future competitiveness.
Perceived social/economic impact
The implementation of the simulation-based robotic integration solution is expected to generate both direct economic gains for the company and wider positive impacts for the local and regional economy. By enabling a 20% increase in process efficiency and reducing manual handling requirements, the company will improve productivity without proportionally increasing labor costs. This strengthens its competitiveness in the construction materials market and positions it for growth in export markets.
Socially, the project contributes to improved working conditions, as repetitive and physically demanding tasks will be handled by robots, reducing the risk of workplace injuries and enabling workers to take on higher-skilled roles. This shift supports long-term employability by fostering upskilling in robotics, automation, and digital tools among existing staff.
Economically, the efficiency gains and reduced downtime are projected to yield annual cost savings of €20,000–€30,000, freeing resources for reinvestment in innovation and further digital transformation. Indirectly, this creates demand for local technology suppliers, integrators, and training providers, thus contributing to the regional digital ecosystem.
The project also serves as a demonstration case for other SMEs in traditional manufacturing sectors, showing how “test-before-invest” approaches can de-risk automation projects. This can accelerate the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies in the region and industrial modernization.
Measurable data
The project with Strešniki Golob d.o.o. delivered tangible, measurable outcomes that validate both the technical and strategic benefits described:
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20% process efficiency improvement – confirmed through Roboguide simulation cycle-time analysis, comparing pre- and post-optimization layouts.
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30% reduction in manual handling time – measured by simulating robot-assisted workflows versus the baseline manual process.
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50% lower estimated downtime during implementation – calculated by comparing simulated integration timelines with historical averages for similar non-simulated automation projects.
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Zero collision risk in the proposed setup – validated through Roboguide’s collision detection feature.
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€20,000–€30,000 projected annual savings – based on reduced downtime, efficiency gains, and avoidance of rework during integration.
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Reduction of deployment time by several weeks – estimated from removal of redesign cycles thanks to simulation-based planning.
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Upskilling of 4 internal staff members – trained on interpreting simulation data and understanding robotic workflow optimization.
These results provide clear proof that simulation-driven “test-before-invest” approaches can significantly reduce risk, improve ROI, and accelerate the digital transformation of SMEs in traditional manufacturing sectors.
DMA score and results - Stage 0
The company achieved a 21% digital maturity score, placing it at the basic level and significantly below the averages for Slovenia (45%), the EU manufacturing sector (44%), and companies of similar size in the EU (44%). This result indicates that the company is still at the early stages of digital transformation, with limited digital skills, tools, and processes in place.
Key weaknesses are evident in digital business strategy, digital readiness, human-centric digitalization, data management, and environmentally friendly digitalization, where all scores remain at the basic level. The highest score, automation and intelligence at 28%, shows some use of digital tools to automate routine tasks, but there remains a large untapped potential to expand automation and integrate it with broader Industry 4.0 technologies.
These findings highlight a significant opportunity for the company to improve efficiency, competitiveness, and sustainability through targeted investments in advanced digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, data analytics, e-commerce, and ICT systems to support decision-making. Strengthening digital literacy among employees and embedding environmental considerations into digital initiatives will also be essential for long-term competitiveness.
Lessons learned
From the perspective of SRC-EDIH, the collaboration with Strešniki Golob d.o.o. provided valuable insights into both the strengths and limitations of applying simulation methods in SME robotization projects.
What worked well was the early engagement with the customer to define objectives, technical constraints, and expected outcomes. This ensured that the Roboguide simulation was not just a technical exercise, but directly aligned with the company’s operational goals and digital transformation strategy. The use of simulation as a visual and data-driven tool proved highly effective in building management buy-in and reducing uncertainty about the investment.
What did not work as expected was the initial underestimation of the time required for data collection and preparation. Gathering accurate process parameters, and equipment specifications, took longer than planned. This reinforced the importance of allocating sufficient time and resources for the preparatory phase, especially when SMEs lack complete technical documentation of their processes.
What could be improved in future projects is the integration of simulation with broader digital twin concepts from the outset. By linking robotic simulation data with real-time production data (when available). Additionally, incorporating structured training modules for the SME’s staff during the simulation process would strengthen their ability to apply the approach independently in future automation projects.
Advice to other EDIHs and SMEs: invest time in detailed process mapping before simulation, involve decision-makers early to align expectations, and view simulation not only as a pre-investment check, but as a stepping stone toward full-scale digital transformation.
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